Olutoye and Starke, along with the Faculty Senate’s other three officers, will serve as ex-officio members of Baylor’s Academic Council, which includes department chairs, center directors and deans. Officers were nominated by Senate members or were self-nominated for the leadership positions.

“This representative body is the perfect answer to making sure all faculty members have a clear way to provide input,” said Dr. Paul Klotman, president, CEO and executive dean of Baylor. “We surveyed the faculty and the result is this new Faculty Senate, which I believe will be very effective in encouraging more discussion from our clinicians, scientists and educators.”

The Faculty Senate will make recommendations on issues important to the faculty, and will consider petitions, recommendations or resolutions from the faculty or others concerning faculty issues and will appoint members to the College’s Institutional Policy Committee. The Senate also will nominate faculty to serve on faculty committees.